Locomotive stoker



Jan. 12,1932. F. 1... MYERS LOCOMOTIVE STOKER Filed May 25, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. (767 ATTOPJVEY.

Jan. 12 1932. F. L. MYERS LOCOMOTIVE STOKER Filed May 25, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTOR.

. ATTORNEY:

Jan; 12, 1932. MYERS 1,840,913

LOCOMOTIVE STOKER Filed lay 25, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 j I A 1 3 v I w M g N W {Ml 12mm.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Jan. 1 2, '1 932 i when FRANK L. MYERS, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND LOCOMOTIVE STOKER Application filed May 25, 1923.- Serial No. 280,491.

In many of the locomotive mechanical stokers now in use the blast jet element is located in the bottom wall of the discharge box substantially at the point of deflection of the discharge box toward the firing or flue distributing table. These blast elements are looated between one of the walls of the discharge boxand the backsheet ofthe firebox of the locomotive where the space is very limit- :H ed on account of the application of flexible staybolts in the backsheet, therefore if the blast gets out oforder, and this very frequently occurs while a locomotive is making its run, it is impossible for the engine crew to make a repair on the road inasmuch-asit is necessary in making this repair to kill the fire and blow off the boiler. Therefore,this repair is ordinarily what, is known as a shop job and requires a machinist as well as a pipe 2Q fitter. A job of this kind usuallyconsumes seven or eight hours of time because it is necessary to. take out many of the staybolts, as

Well as dismantle part of thestoker.

The primary objectof my invention is to provide a blast discharge member which can be readily removed from and applied in the discharge box of the stoker without killing the fire, and, if necessary, while the locomotive is in operation thereby eliminatingfdelay on the road should the :blast discharge get out of order. Y

In the mechanical stokers now generally in use they use six jet pipes and for each jet pipe there must be a gage, whereas by my "1 invention the maximum number of jetpipes used is two and it is only necessary to have one gage on which one hand is for the stoker engine and the other for the jets.

Another ob 'ect of my invention is to so arrange and dispose my improved'jet blast that the firing table can be changed Without disconnecting the pipes. Thisis an important feature because replacements are frequent. with the firing table'inasmuch as itv projects out into the fire areaof. the fire box and thereby becomes distorted and'otherwise i unfit for use. By my-i'nvention the firing table can be renewed as often as is necessary without disconnecting any of the jet pipes.

Another object of my invention is to 'posi: tion the jet so as not to ofier obstruction and to deliver coal evenly for'the width of the openmg. 1 I

Another object of my invention is to provi'de an emergency firing door in thetop wall of the discharge box so that the engine can be fireclwit-h fuelin the event of a stoker failure; withthese, and other objects in view, my lnvention consists of the parts and combination ofparts as fully set forth. y

In the drawings: Figure l is a side elevation of the discharge box of a mechanical stoker secured in position to the back head of the locomotive, part of the back head being in section. v

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional View on the line 2- 2, Figure 8, of the upper end of the discharge box embodying my invention and showing the discharge jet element in position.

Figure 3 is atop plan view of the upper end of the discharge box showing one of the emergency fitting doors in open position.

Will be hereinafter more Figure 4 is a vertical sectional-view on the line fi-l-, Figure of the arrows. ;Figure [5 is an enlarged detail sectional iew.

3, looking in the direction Figure 6 is a top plan 'view'of the'blast jet, partly in section; V

Figure .7 is a similarv view of another embodiment of jet discharge. I

'Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view through another embodiment of the discharge-jet. I V I .Figure 9 is an endelevation ofvthe-jet discharge element. s. Figure 10 is a fragmentary bottomjplan view of the lower wall of the throat portion,

The reference numeral 10 designates the back sheet of the locomotive having the usual firing opening or doorway 11.

The discharge box 12 of the mechanical stoker is elbow-shaped and secured in a suitable manner at its upper end to the back sheet with its discharge opening registering with the firing opening 11. At the bottom the discharge box is supported on the arm 13 which is bolted at 1a to the bottom of the mud ring of the locomotive, as clearly shown in Figure 1. Connected to the discharge box is the conveyor screw chamber 15. The lower or intake branch of the discharge box extends at an upward and forward angle toward the door 11 and the upper branch of said box extends therefrom horizontally forward toward and forms a discharge throat communicating with the doorway 11. The bottom wall 12 of this discharge throat is thickened to sustain the wear of the feeding fuel and terminates in rear of the forward edge or outlet of the throat, that is to say, is cut away between the inlet and outlet portions of the throat to form a keeper recess 12 between the wall and the back head sheet at the base of the doorway 11. This keeper recess is provided for the reception of the outer or rear edge of a distributing table 16, which extends forwardly into the fire-box through the fuel feed opening, and the rear portion of this table is provided with a depending holding member in the form of a flange 16 to fit within said recess, whereby said table is reliably secured in position while at the same time being capable of ready release for removal from the discharge box. The upper face of the table is flush with the edge of the wall 12 which wall is curved upwardly and forwardly toward the table at its angle of intersection with the bottom wall of the intake branch of the discharge box, so as to ensure a free and easy feed of the fuel toward tie discharge throat and thence to the fuel feed opening 11.

I provide the discharge box 12 at the top of its elbow with an opening closed by a detachable cover plate or hood 17 having an elongatedopening 17 at the top and bottom edges of which I form grooves 18 in which are slidably mounted the doors 19 and 20. In the doors I provide peep holes 21 through which the action of the fuel and the jet may be observed. These peep holes are closed by means of the sliding plate 22 suitably mounted in grooves on the doors 19 and 20. The object of providing doors at this point in the discharge box is that in the event that the stoker goes out of the order the doors 19 and 29 may be opened and fuel thrown through these doors on to the firing table 16, from which it is distributed by the jets, and even if the jets are not operating the coal can be thrown beyond the table 16 into the fire box without stopping the locomotive. Of course,

in this emergency hand firing the main firing door of the locomotive is not opened.

The removal of the hood 1'? allows ready removal of a damaged jet nozzle, independently of the distributing table, and the introduction of a new jet nozzle without removing or disturbing the distributing table, or the removal of a damaged or worn distributing table and the substitution of a new one in place of the one removed, on the detachment of the jet nozzle, but without the necessity in either case of disconnecting the discharge box from the backhead sheet.

My improved jet nozzle comprises a single member 28 provided with interior bores 24 opening through the ends of the member or pipe 23, but separated at the middle by a partition 25 thereby forming in one piece of pipe two separate jet chambers, from which partition the jet openings 26 in one chamber 2 1 are inclined toward one side of the fire box while the jet openings 27 in the other chamber 24 are inclined toward the other side of the fire box, the jets 28 at the ends of the pipes 28 being directed toward the center of the fire box. This pipe or casting 23 is preferably quarter around, as shown in Figure 9, whereby the base 29 constitutes a comparatively broad flat surface adapted to be tightly seated on the top and at the rear of the firing table 16, as clearly shown in Figure 2. Also as shown in Fig. 2 the back edge of the jet nozzle lies flush with the rear edge of the distributing plate and front edge of wall 12 and its curved surface forms a continuation of the surface of the wall to secure an easy feed of the fuel through the throat of the dis charge box, which is free from other elements or obstructions.

The outer ends of the chambers 24: are provided with screw threads 27a into which the threaded jet ends 28 of the pipes 28 are screwed, from which it will be seen that in applying my improved et element in a stoker all that is necessary is to set the element 28 on the top of the firing table 16, as shown in Figure 2, and then pass the pipes 28 through openings provided for that purpose, in the side walls at the upper end of the discharge box and screw the ends of the pipes into the ends of the jet element 23 thereby firmly locking and holding the ct element 23 in operative position. It will be seen that the jet element 23 extends substantially from side wall to side wall at the upper end of the discharge box and prevents the coal from rolling over to the corners and insures the passage of the coal over the jet element in an even stream.

In Figure 7 T have shown another embodiment of the jet element which I have designated by the reference numeral 23a in which the chamber 2 M extends from end to end of the element so that the chamber is common from one end to the other of the element.

In Figure 8 I have shown still another embodiment of my invention 23 which I have designated by the reference numeral 23?) in which the chamber 24?) is one common chamber extending from end to end of the element, but I close one end by means of the plug so that the blast enters from one end only of the element. V

Either of these embodiments can be used with equal efficiency, but I prefer the embodiment shown in Figure 6. a

One of-the important features of my invention is the placing of the jet element 23 on the firing table 16 and looking it in that position by the extension of two pipes through the walls at the upper end of the dis- 'l'lOIlZOIltitl discharge branch extending tocharge box, whereby application or a removal of the jet element can readily be accomplished by the engine crew while the locomotive is in operation, thus facilitating repairs enroute and without killing the fire and stop ping the locomotive, and also eliminating running the locomotive into the shop for repairs to the jet element. From actual experience it has been found that my improved jet can be removed and applied in approximately forty-five minutes without killing the fire or blowing off the boiler, or stopping the locomotive which is a very important consideration in railroad'practice. Another important feature of my invention is that the firing table can be changed upon disconnecting the et element but without removing any of the other parts of the apparatus.

What I claim is: V I v 1. In combination, in a stoker for a locomotive having a' fire-box provided with a fuel feed opening, a fuel feeder including an elbow-shaped discharge box having an intake branch inclined at an upward and forward angle toward the fuel feed opening and a horizontal discharge branch extending toward said opening and having a discharge throat communicating therewith, the bottom wall of said throat being upwardly and forwardly curved at its point of intersection with the'intake branch, a distributing table having its upper surface lying flush with said curved portion of the throat, and a jet nozzle of quarter round cross-section having a flat base seated on said table and having a rounded top lying flush with the rear edge of the table adjacent to the curved surface of the throat.

2. In combination, in a stoker for a locomotive having a fire-box provided with afuel feed opening, a fuel feeder including an elbow-shaped discharge box having an intake branch inclined at an upward and forward angle toward the fuel feed opening and a horizontal discharge branch extending'toward said opening and havinga discharge throat communicating therewith, the-bottom wall of said throat being cut away to form a recess between it and the base of the fuel feed tion of the throat, and a jet nozzle of quarter round cross-section having a fiat base seated on-said table and having a rounded top lying flush with the'rear edge of the table adjacent to the curved surface of the throat.

3. In combination, in a stoker for a locomotive having a fire-box provided with a fuel feed opening, a fuel feeder including an elbow-shaped discharge box having an intake branchinclined at an upward and forward angle toward the fuel feed opening and a ward said opening and having a discharge throat communicating therewith, the bottom wall of said throat being cut away to form a recess between it and the base of the fuel feed opening and being curved at its point of intersectionwith the intake branch, a distributing table having a holding flange at its rearvedge fitted in said recess and having its upper surface lying flush with said curved portion of the throat, and a jet nozzle of quarter round cross;section having a flat base seated on said tablev and having a rounded top lying flush with the rear edge of the table adjacent to the curved surface of the throat.

4. In combination, in a stoker for a locomotive having a fire-box provided with 'a fuel feed opening, a fuel feeder including an elbow-shaped discharge box having an up- -wardly extending intake branch and a forwardly extending branch, the latter providing a discharge throat communicating with the fuel feed inlet and having its bottom wall cut away to form a recess between it andthe base of the fuel feed inlet, a distributingtable having its outer edge lying flush with said bottom wall of the throat and provided with a retaining portion extending into said recess,

and a jet nozzle disposed in said throat above the recess and outer portion of the table.

5. In combination, in a stoker for a locomotive having a fire-box provided with a fuel feed opening, a fuel feeder including an elbow-shaped discharge box having an upwardly extending intake branch anda forwardly extending branch, the latter provid: ing a dischargethroat communicating with the fuel feed inlet and having its bottom wall 7 'above rthe recess and outer portion of the table. I

' 6'. In combination,.in a stoker for a locomotive having a'fire-box provided with a fuelfeed opening, a fuel feed device includring an elbow-shaped discharge box having an upright intake branch communicating with the feeder and a horizontal branch forming a discharge throat communicating With the fuel feed opening, said horizontal branch having an opening at its top, a distributing table detachably fitted in the base of the throat and projecting therefrom into the fuel feed opening, a jet nozzle disposed in the base of the throat above the portion of the table therein, the said table and nozzle being mounted for application and removal through said opening in the top of the horizontal branch, a cover for said opening in the horizontal branch having an emergency fuel feed opening therein, and a closure for emergency fuel feed opening.

7. In combination, in a stoker for a locomotive having a fire-box provided With a fuel feed opening, a fuel feeder including an elbow-shaped discharge box having intake portion extending upwardly from the feeder toward the fuel feed opening and a horizontal portion providing a discharge throat communicating With said fuel feed opening, the said horizontal portion being provided With an opening in its top, adistributing table mounted at its rear edge in the throat and extending therefrom into the fuel feed opening, a. jet nozzle disposed in the throat above the rear of the distributing table, the said table and nozzle being mounted in position for application and removal through said opening in the top of the horizontal branch of the box, a detachable cover for said top opening, said cover having an opening therein, a door controlling said opening and having apertures therein, and a slide controlling said apertures.

8. In combination, in a stoker for a locomotive having a. fire-box provided With a fuel feed openin a fuel feeder including an elbow-shaped discharge portion having an upwardly extending intake branch and a forwardly extending discharge branch the latter forming a discharge throat and having an opening in its top, a distributing table detachably secured at its rear in said throat and extending therefrom into the fuel feed opening, a nozzle detachably mounted in the throat above the table, the table and nozzle being mounted for application and removal through the said opening in the top of the throat, a cover for the top of the throat provided with an opening therein, a pair of sliding doors controlling said opening and each having a plurality of apertures, and slides controlling the apertures in said doors.

9. In a locomotive stoker, a fuel feed device having a discharge throat provided in bottom With a recess, a distributing tablehaving a rear portion fitted in said throat recess, a jet bar seated upon said table above said recess, and fastening members engaging the 

